Recipe - Elizabethan Orange Tart

1 10" shortcrust pastry case*
2 Thinskinned oranges
Honey and sugar
Stick cinnamon
Ground cinnamon
Allspice
One fourth pt Double cream
One fourth pound Fromage blanc (or see note)
2 tablespoon Ground almonds

*Note: Shortcrust pastry case should be thoroughly blindbaked. Lowfat
soft cheese may be substituted for fromage blanc.

Measure 2 tablespoons sugar into a bowl and stir in 4 tablespoons boiling
water. Add a cinnamon stick and One fourth pint cold water. Scrub the oranges,
flute the peel lightly with a citrus zester and slice the fruit thinly,
discarding the ends. Remove pips (seeds), put the orange slices into the
sweetened water and leave to soak overnight. Next day, turn the oranges and
their liquid into a saucepan. Cover and cook very gently for about 30
minutes. Carefully turn the slices once they cook. Lift the cooked orange
slices from the pan one at a time, shaking to let the syrup drip back into
the pan, and put them on a rack to drain and become cold. Remove the
cinnamon stick, then boil the syrup until reduced to a few sticky
spoonfuls. Cool slightly then stir in the 1 tablespoon honey. Assemble the
tart just before serving. First sprinkle the ground almonds over the base
of the cold pastry shell. Sweeten and flavour the soft cheese by stirring
into it 1 teaspoon or so of honey and a little each of ground cinnamon and
allspice. Whip the cream, fold in the sweetened and flavoured cheese, then
spoon this mixture into the pastry shell. Arrange the orange slices on top,
overlapping them slightly in decorative circles, and glaze with the gently
rewarmed syrup.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini